Bastion Review
- Thread starter Slycne
- Start date
The demo under-wealmed, but what the heck?
If FF Tactics didn't just hit the iPhone yesterday, I'd be all over this shit for $15 after the post-launch reviews I've read.
But my next XBLA purchase shall be this.
If FF Tactics didn't just hit the iPhone yesterday, I'd be all over this shit for $15 after the post-launch reviews I've read.
But my next XBLA purchase shall be this.
It's definitely a game that grows on you the more you're exposed to it, so I can see how the demo's little appetizer doesn't really hint at the full-course feast ahead of you. If you're still on the fence, check out the soundtrack (see link in the review), which has a nice opening by the narrator.
I have a feeling there will be many people wanting this after playing the game.
I'll get it as soon as it comes out for PC, don't have a 360. Hope it won't be a bad port though.
Definatly buying this when it comes out. Bought the soundtrack, it's great, and Logan Cunningham's voice is pure sex.
You have to wonder at how many pages of dialog the narrator had to speak for this game. Though unlike other games with constant voice overs this game never repeats it self so you don't end up hearing the same 4 or 5 voice clips every time you do something.
I guess I should have skipped to the end of page 2 to see it's not available on the PSN. 
Sadface.
Sadface.
I cannot have enough good things to say about this game. The narration melded perfectly with gameplay. The script was very well written. The weapon selections/combinations/customization was very well done such that any type of player should find a tweak that works for them. The soundtrack was wonderful; I would love to switch the music to the Ura girl's vocalized song and just listen to it for a while.
I've played it through twice, and I think my only complaint would be that even with 100% of the idols engaged (a mechanic where you ramp up the game's difficulty by giving your enemies buffs and unique skills), it's still a little on the easy side in my opinion.
Excellent way to kick off xbl's summer deal promotion. Unfortunately, right after that I played From Dust and I absolutely hate it...but that would be another topic.
I've played it through twice, and I think my only complaint would be that even with 100% of the idols engaged (a mechanic where you ramp up the game's difficulty by giving your enemies buffs and unique skills), it's still a little on the easy side in my opinion.
Excellent way to kick off xbl's summer deal promotion. Unfortunately, right after that I played From Dust and I absolutely hate it...but that would be another topic.
The game sounds pretty sweet, from concept, to the meshing of video and audio, probably all the way to completion. I'll probably pick it up.
I played this for a while and have to say that it was truly under-whelming for all the positive press it received. It's a throw-back to the old Genesis era hack'n'slash adventure titles, but it feels like it lacks depth or any of the modern sensibilities that we've refined since those days.
Same here in the states, was a bit of a bummer to see that it's not out yet. I was hoping I'd have something to keep my occupied for the weekend.Stevey M said:
Yup, great game. I didn't got all too enthusiastic from the demo (except for the voice-over and the visuals), simply bought it because I didn't have anything else to play. But, it's awesome. You might think the gameplay wears out soon, but it's much more intriguing than it looks, and as Justin mentions, it's just a really tight, well-polished experience. Combat is fluent, fun and layered, visuals and sound are great, the story is much more interesting than you would expect (and you can ignore it as well if you want), and the item-upgrading/customizing shizzle is addicting as hell.
Also: a simple playthrough might be 6-8 hours, but don't be surprised if you actually sink a lot more time in it, either via the training grounds, experimenting with different weapons or the new game plus option.
Also: a simple playthrough might be 6-8 hours, but don't be surprised if you actually sink a lot more time in it, either via the training grounds, experimenting with different weapons or the new game plus option.
Looks like another Diablo clone, games like Fate and Torchlight et al. That said, it looks nice and the premise that the world had been broken up into floating platforms is a nice conceit for the dungeon crawlery.
I can't say how it plays, but I suspect there's not a whole lot of innovation as these sort of games are usually pretty simple. Just click the things you don't like to death. It's basic, but works.
One element I'm not entirely sold on is the narration. True, it is better than a long text scroll that I never read and just skip so I never know what the hell is going on, but I don't care so long as I can click things to death. But here, having a voice actor deliver that same exposition, I'm not sure.
On the one hand, what real difference is there between reading a large block of text and having a large block of text to you? None, that's what. It's still telling, not showing. A stalled car on the starting line towards creating compelling storytelling in a game as opposed to having a story with a game attached, or vise versa.
On the other hand, it is the same infodump delivered in a more compelling way. Instead of reading a large block of text (or hitting skip) before you get to play, it lets you get right into playing and gives you the exposition bit by bit as you play.
So it's the infodump woven into the gameplay. This is a better method for doing it, but ultimately it's still has the same problem in the sense of storytelling through a game in that it's not really the game at all any more than the cartoon show of Pac-Man was the story of the arcade game. It's two unrelated media smooshed together. Here, a little more finely integrated, but still not really incorporated.
Such are my impressions.
I can't say how it plays, but I suspect there's not a whole lot of innovation as these sort of games are usually pretty simple. Just click the things you don't like to death. It's basic, but works.
One element I'm not entirely sold on is the narration. True, it is better than a long text scroll that I never read and just skip so I never know what the hell is going on, but I don't care so long as I can click things to death. But here, having a voice actor deliver that same exposition, I'm not sure.
On the one hand, what real difference is there between reading a large block of text and having a large block of text to you? None, that's what. It's still telling, not showing. A stalled car on the starting line towards creating compelling storytelling in a game as opposed to having a story with a game attached, or vise versa.
On the other hand, it is the same infodump delivered in a more compelling way. Instead of reading a large block of text (or hitting skip) before you get to play, it lets you get right into playing and gives you the exposition bit by bit as you play.
So it's the infodump woven into the gameplay. This is a better method for doing it, but ultimately it's still has the same problem in the sense of storytelling through a game in that it's not really the game at all any more than the cartoon show of Pac-Man was the story of the arcade game. It's two unrelated media smooshed together. Here, a little more finely integrated, but still not really incorporated.
Such are my impressions.
Can't say the gameplay or idea light me with fire but who was that girl singing?! That voice was amazing!